Wow this book was absolutely amazing! The character development for Jenny James was so perfectly written that I wish I could read the Sausage Dog Diaries for myself and see where her and Luke are these days!

While I did feel like this book did start off a little slow I really enjoyed it and had me waiting to see where in the UK Jenny, Luke and Charlie would end up next. I really enjoyed that this book also showed a "grown up" relationship and how Jenny had to find herself before realizing her feelings for Luke.

I listen to the audiobook and really enjoyed the performance by Beth Eyre.

This was an enjoyable novel about letting go, forgiveness, family, motherhood and love. This was lighthearted and Jenny' perspective on life is so refreshing, yet relatable. I. listened to this on audio and thought the narrator was pleasnet and easy to follow. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light, heartwarming novel about finding your way.

thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the ARC.

This was a fun, interesting story. It really surprised me. I can't imagine going through what Jenny did but I loved the way she handled it. The relationship between her and Charlie was a refreshing take on a mother/son bond.

Happy Publication Day!
For anyone who has ever been down on their luck, they know how hard it is to recover. Jenny James is not a Disaster reminds readers it’s possible to embrace the calm before, during, and after the storm and that every day is a good day to try to find joy.

Single mom Jenny is raising her 18 year old son, Charlie, doing the best she can. She is optimistic even when she gets a message that her bank account is overdrawn by seventy-two cents and will be charged a $25 overdraft fee without a deposit by midnight. She tries to remain hopeful when a coworker tells her that their company may soon close. And she tries to find the silver lining when her car won’t start again after picking up her son when she gets off work. Saying she’s having a rough day would be an understatement. But the worst is yet to come.

Forced to get the bus, Jenny and Charlie walk to the cliff side rental cottage she’s turned into a home for them but it’s not there. Due to month long rains, her home has slid on the cliff side. As Jenny tries to frantically recover pictures blowing around she almost falls over the cliff herself when a stranger pulls her back, rescuing her.

What do you do when you’ve literally lost everything? Having walked away from her family as a teen, Jenny has no one to rely on but herself. Thanking the stranger, Luke, who saved her from literally going over the edge turns into a couple more visits to his place which is a motor home. Not sure what to do next, Luke offers a suggestion: take a couple of weeks to travel with him in his motor home while she decides her next steps. After finding out her work is officially closing, she decides this just may be the break Charlie and her need so they hit the road!

The journey that unfolds is raw yet heartwarming. I absolutely love how Jenny remained positive and hopeful, refusing to ever give up. The playful and sarcastic banter Jenny has with both her son and with Luke made this a delight to listen to!

This is a must read for anyone who has lost it all or has had to start over again. Thank you NetGalley, Debbie Johnson, and Harper Collins for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

"Jenny James Is Not a Disaster" by Debbie Johnson is a heartwarming and humorous journey of self-discovery and resilience. The story follows single mum Jenny, whose life seems to be in shambles after her cottage falls off a cliff, leaving her homeless and jobless. As Jenny grapples with the chaos of her situation, she decides to embark on a spontaneous road trip around England with her teenage son, Charlie, and their quirky neighbor, Luke, and his adorable dachshund, Betty.
Johnson masterfully blends wit and emotion, creating a narrative that is both relatable and uplifting. The road trip not only strengthens Jenny's bond with her son but also forces her to confront painful memories and reconcile with her past.
The characters are richly developed, with Jenny's strength and vulnerability making her an endearing protagonist. The dynamics between Jenny, Charlie, and Luke are heartwarming and authentic, adding depth to the story. The random destinations chosen from prompts like "Brontë sisters" and favorite songs add a charming and whimsical touch to their journey.
"Jenny James Is Not a Disaster" is a delightful read that beautifully captures the essence of starting over and finding joy in the unexpected. It’s a story about embracing change, healing old wounds, and rediscovering one's dreams. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a feel-good, inspirational read that will leave you smiling and hopeful.

This delightfully fun book shows how one horrible day can result in the best changes of your life.

Single mom, Jenny James, is losing her job, her car breaks down and her house literally falls off a cliff. This results in Jenny & her teenage son, Charlie, losing everything. A kind neighbor, Luke, and his dachshund, Betty, are camping in their fancy RV nearby and offer to help Jenny & Charlie by inviting them to travel across England on a week long adventure.

This was not just a fluffy romance novel. This book introduced you to characters that had been through tragedy and the author touched on some deep issues, but there were also explorations that the characters experienced that were pure fun. Just returning from England recently,
I loved hearing the different places that Luke, Jenny, Charlie & Betty traveled on their beautiful England escapade.

I very much enjoyed listening to this Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks. Beth Eyre narrated and did a fabulous job. I will be looking for other books by Debbie Johnson and will definitely recommend this book to my friends. #NetGalley #JennyJamesIsNotADisaster

This was a really cute book. Completely relatable main character. Narrator was great! You can see where the book is going, but that’s what makes it cozy. Just a lovely story all around!
Tw: child loss

This was absolutely charming! I loved the relationship between Jenny and her son Charlie. I’m a sucker for a great road trip story and I didn’t want this to end. It had no sex, nor was it full of the characters constantly musing on the hotness of characters. It was a delightful story of people finding their way and finding love along the way. It was a story about finding joy and beauty after disaster. The narrator was perfection!

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy to review!

Jenny James is Not a Disaster, by Debbie Johnson, is a quirky, character-driven story about Jenny James who experiences a cataclysmic event, or two, and decides that it’s the perfect time to make drastic changes to her life. Jenny lives alone with her 18 year old son and is estranged from her family. She’s lost her job and needs to not only figure things out, but also reinvent her life and change her perspective.

When her nomadic neighbor offers to take Jenny and her son on a road trip throughout England, along with his dachshund, Betty, Jenny agrees. The small group experiences all kinds of adventures that lead to reflections, discussions, and eventually life-changing revelations.

Jenny James is a feel-good work of women’s fiction full of insights, thoughtful themes and surprising depth, given the light-hearted nature of the story. There are moments that work out a bit too conveniently to be realistic, but all-in-all, it’s an enjoyable, heartwarming, thought-provoking tale. This story is narrated by Beth Eyre by Harper Muse Audiobooks and brings life and flavor to the story.

A super cute, UK Chic-lit story. Road Trip vibes, found family/friendships. Oh and an adorable lil weiner dog named Betty.

I was lucky enough to receive this book early via NetGalley. I listened to the audio version and the production did an excellent job. This was a great story about finding yourself and the power of yes. The storyline served as a great reminder to take any of life’s harder times and grow from them. A cute little adventurous summer read that’s easy to follow

Not what I was expecting to be honest. I thought it would be more of a light hearted summer read. It was an easy read but brought elements of real life too. Sometimes things don’t end up the way we hope. Broken relationships, hardships and learning to trust again. You won’t be disappointed. Pick this one up!

Jenny James is not a Disaster by Debbie Johnson
This was a very easy and enjoyable read. Jenny the main character has had a series of life altering events happen to her all at once, her house literally falls off a cliff, her car dies and she loses her job. She along with her 18 year old son embark on a journey with their neighbor Luke exploring the country and coming to terms with their past.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this Audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Think you’ve had a bad day? Jenny has you beat. The single mom heads home after finding out her job is downsizing, only for her car to break down in an awful rainstorm. She and her teenage son finally arrive home only to find it’s not there. In fact, their little cottage has slid off a cliff. Yikes! With an uncertain future and nowhere to live, their RV-wielding neighbor offers a proposition…Jenny and her son Charlie can join Luke and his spunky dachshund Betty on the road for a nomadic adventure…from zombies to Jane Austen and a visit to her past, this is an adventure for the books.
As awful as the bad luck circumstances were, I couldn’t stop laughing for much of this book (though there are tough topics brought up as well). Highly recommend this as a fun afternoon read. And the narrator brought so much fun to Jenny’s character as she navigated each wacky predicament.
Thank you to Harper Muse Audiobooks for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Book Title: Jenny James is not a Disaster
Author: Debbie Johnson
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Beth Eyre
Publisher: Harper Collin Focus. Harper Muse
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Pub Date: July 9, 2024
My Rating: 3.4.Stars
Pages 320


Jenny James is on the edge of disaster.
• Her job is downsizing,
• Her car won't start,
• Her eighteen year old son Charlie is acting like well yes! A teenager.
• And will it ever stop raining.
• Plus now she truly is on the edge of disaster as her cottage on the Norfolk coast literally falls off a cliff.

Jenny decides she and son Charlie will join Luke their neighbor and Betty his dachshund on a road trip around England. They travel in his van and visit and hike historical sites, ride rollercoasters. Jenny is reminded of the dreams she gave up long ago. Jenny left home when she was seventeen and was expecting – her parents never knew about their grandson Charlie nor that her high school boyfriend Rob is Charlie’s father. Jenny parents always thought Rob wasn’t the right guy for Jenny and they were correct as Rob left Jenny when Charlie was only two years old.
Although my thought were-Yikes! What’s next? Additionally it was slow at times (not sure if this is a spoiler) but it does end as a ‘feel-good’ story.

Want to thank HarperCollins Focus/Harper Muse for this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for September 9, 2024.

Audio format 🎧. Jenny James is having a really tough week. She finds out she’s losing her job, her car dies and her house falls off the edge of a cliff. You would think Jenny would go over the edge herself but instead she embarks on a journey in a RV with a kind stranger. They explore and find new and exciting adventures along the way and eventually make amends with the past. Lots of great themes thought the book.

This was a charming story. Many times in the book some of the statements Jenny really resonated with me and i couldn’t wait to finish the book.

The audio narration was excellent and over all really enjoyed this gem of a book. 4.5/5.

Thank you to HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse and Net Galley for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

From page 1, I loved the MC. I loved the way she said things, her personality, etc. Then came the hook and I was, well, hooked! I couldn’t wait to see how the story was going to go…

Then it turned left into a “happy ending” hallmark movie.

For most readers this story will be cute, heartfelt, and leave the reader smiling and warm from all the happy endings.

At times I felt that way too, but I also was disappointed this is yet another story where a woman is rescued by a rich man. Just once I’d like the woman to rescue herself, I supposed.

“Jenny James is Not a Disaster” by Debbie Johnson narrated by Beth Eyre
The Road to Finding Joy
I loved this story. Yes there were smiles maybe even chuckles, and of course a few teary times, too. I empathized with Jenny James, the trials and tribulations she encountered. And, really wished I could have an RV road trip, too. There were many moments of sage advice shared in this story. A Worthy Read that could be a good Book Club choice. I listened to the audiobook version and I am sure the print, whether paper or digital, version will be good reads, also. Happy Reading or Listening ! !

Jenny had the worst day ever- she lost her job, her car died, and her house fell off a cliff. As she is trying to save mementos- in the middle of a storm while her house is crumbling off the cliff- a stranger, Luke, pulls her back. Luke lives in an RV and never stays anywhere more than two weeks. Over the next week, Jenny finds herself confiding in Luke. Her son Charlie, is off to college in the fall. Maybe now is the time to start over somewhere else. Luke invites Jenny and Charlie to come with him for a bit, and they set off on a road trip. Their destinations chosen by drawing a slip of paper out of a hat.

I enjoyed this one so much. It is a story of self discovery and healing, but in a new and refreshing way. It is also "mature"- in the sense that Jenny is in her mid/late thirties, and Luke in his forties. They've lived life and their problems are relatable.

Beth Eyre narrates the audiobook.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

•

𝗝𝗲𝗻𝗻𝘆 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗯𝗯𝗶𝗲 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻

Having lost a job she didn’t care for and a rental home (that literally falls off a cliff into the ocean during torrential rains), Jenny James is faced with figuring out the next steps for herself and her 18 year old son Charlie.

Here’s the first thing I loved: Where she could have given up and given in - to depression, defeat - instead she embraces this monumental shift in her life, treats it as an opportunity not so much for reinvention but movement toward a happier existence.

The title isn’t a sarcastic quip or misleading moniker, it’s truth: Jenny James is, in fact, not a disaster.

And so, when Luke, a quiet, kind man, who lives in an RV behind where her house had been, offers for Jenny and Charlie to join him on the road for a week or two, they accept.

Jenny, overly grateful to Luke, concerned they might be cramping his style, soon realizes that he’s also in the middle of his own mess, a sadness surrounding him.

And so, the three, along with Betty the dachshund, become companions on the road as well as in a journey to figure themselves out. Using a hat filled with suggested locations to visit, they explore theme parks and Bond film locations, and go “wild” swimming.

Jenny, estranged from her family for two decades, eventually returns at Charlie’s request. He wants more than just him mom and absent father, has always felt he was missing out. And so they travel to Cornwall for a reunion.

Once there, decisions must be made: by Charlie, by Luke, by Jenny. None of them easy, all of them worthwhile.

I adored the dynamic of this single mom raising her son. The relationship feels authentic - with some distance, some private jokes, some misplaced teenage angst, and on a deeper level, real love.

It’s contemporary fiction with romance as a side note; more about understanding your boundaries and deciding how much bigger you are willing to make them.

And Beth Eyre’s gentle British accent makes this audiobook stand out even more.

All the stars for complicated women’s drama, and for Jenny James, unlikely hero.

Thanks to @netgalley and @harpermusebooks for the audio ARC. This one comes out July 9, 2024.